Exposed

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Alexis pushed through the glass doors, entering the hospital's private waiting room in a hurry.

The moment she was inside, the fear she was feeling only became stronger.

Everyone was silent, the women sitting and the men pacing.

"Oh, Alexis." Mrs. Radley looked up to see her daughter, tears in her eyes.

She walked to her mother's side, feeling her mother's arms wrap quickly around her.

"What's happening?" she asked, looking at Ellie over her mother's shoulder.

Ellie just looked down, ripping at the piece of tissue in her hands. "We don't know."

Once her mother finally pulled away from her, Alexis caught sight of Andrew, walking in circles, fear etched onto his face.

Ben and her father were trying to console him, but it was obvious that he was not listening.

"They've been in there for an hour. There has to be something else I could have done. Something that could have helped her." Ellie shook her head, her voice sounding distant.

"You did everything you could." Mrs. Radley told Ellie in reassurance.

Ellie only shook her head, her eyes showing her pain. "She just started screaming and holding onto her stomach. She knew something was wrong with the baby and there was nothing I could do to help her besides call 911. And by then, she was fading in and out of consciousness."

Alexis reached over her mother for Ellie's hand. "At least you were there."

Ellie nodded stiffly. "Unfortunately, so was Claire."

They all turned to look at the little girl who was laying on the cot in the corner of the room. Her eyes didn't seem to be looking at anything as she laid there entirely still.

"As soon as Bree started screaming, Claire stopped talking. She stopped moving. The doctors think she's in shock."

"She's been around so much death that it's beginning to scar her." Alexis whispered.

Mrs. Radley turned to her daughter quickly. "Don't say that. Bree is alive. Both she and that baby girl will live."

Alexis nodded. "I have no doubt."

She looked over to Andrew again, his pacing had yet to stop.

He didn't even seem to be emotionally present. It was as if his soul was detached from his body.

Her heart broke for him.

Bree was his life. His entire world.

At that moment, Justin hurriedly entered the room as well, his eyes finding Alexis before looking over to the men in the corner of the room comforting Andrew.

Alexis gave Justin a nod, silently bidding him to join them. Maybe there was something Justin could say to Andrew that would help.

Justin slowly approached them, talking between Ben and her father for a few minutes before turning away and motioning for Alexis to come to him.

She rose from her seat, her hand falling from her mother's as she did so.

She met him across the room, his emotions too hard to read.

"I'm going to see if I can get any answers."

Alexis nodded and Justin's hand reached out to cup her cheek.

"I just wanted to make sure that you were okay first." He whispered.

"Me? I'm fine. It's Bree who we should be worried for."